Red Thread of Destiny
by Kismet's Kiss
Summary: Red strings intertwined with reality. They lost track of who they were supposed to be. Kanba/Himari and side Shouma/Ringo
1. Red Thread of Destiny

**So, I'm trying to work on an actual manuscript… only I keep getting distracted with real life, friends, family, work, and of course my loveable future husband. Gag. I know. So I'm sorry that there are so many stories I've left unfinished…and actually, _Just Smile_ is the manuscript I'm working off of, the basis of the twins at least, not the entire setting, which is why I won't be able to continue it. Can't have the ending online in another story right?**

**But I digress. This is a completely unrelated fanfiction. I have been captivated with Mawaru Penguindrum, and I love Kanba/Himari, obviously. I hope it won't turn out to be that they're not related, as all other anime ends up doing. I included some Shouma/Ringo scenes, to keep to the flow of Mawaru Penguindrum episodes and how it encompasses all characters and to reach out to other fans that are definitely rooting for S/R. **

**So please read and leave your thoughts, thank you so much! **

**X**

"Kan-_ba_! Why can't I go with you today? Hmm?" The Odango Haired girl with her light purple, hopeful eyes poked her eldest brother, believing that if she bothered him incessantly enough he would eventually cave in and let her go shopping in town with him. In the background, their respective penguins, #1 and #3, were dancing the tango. #3 seemingly leading and overcoming #1 with her quick steps and insistent spins that left her dance partner struggling to keep up.

"Himari…" looking down at her, Kanba almost didn't have the heart to say no, but the recollection of the Princess of the Crystal and how her eyes were always a vibrant pink, unlike Himari's soft delicateness screamed at him to keep Himari away. He didn't know when the alter-ego would manifest again, and he didn't want her to blow his covert mission of gathering Intel on the penguindrum.

"Please? I haven't left the house in awhile… and I really would love to buy a gift for-ah!" her eyes opened wide as her hands came up to cover her mouth. She laughed nervously, brought her hands down and then proceeded to do a quick bow. "Please! I promise I won't get in the way. So, please Kanba?"

He had to admit, she was the most adorable creature on the face of this planet.

"Fine, fine. You know I can't say no to you Himari…" the young girl started to hop up and down with a smile on her face, one that wore a mix of triumph and extreme happiness. Her penguin counterpart stood victoriously over the slumped body of her now defeated partner. "Go get dressed. I need to take care of a few things first before I can take you to _Knits and Things_ though, okay?" He shuffled his feet, put his hands in his pocket with a sigh of defeat and started to walk past her but was stopped when she suddenly tugged on his shirt.

"Kanba…?" Confused, the boy quirked his head at her, silently asking her to continue. "How did you know I wanted to go to that store?" frowning slightly he stepped forward, closing the distance between them and patted her head. She looked up at him, pouting and anxious for a reply.

"It's simple Himari. You're my little sister. I know everything about you." He walked away then content with his answer, his mind wandering elsewhere on what needed to be done to continue to protect his most precious person.

He didn't take the time to look back and see why she was so quiet, why his little sister stayed rooted in her position, staring at her hands… her eyes a vibrant pink.

X

When Shouma came home from school, he knew the house was too quiet. He had been late for class when he took a detour to follow Yuri Tokikago with Ringo Oginome by his side, in hopes of getting the diary back. Aside from a few awkward moments of contorting his body into small spaces up against the soft girl he was with so he wouldn't get caught, he found absolutely nothing new and no chance to acquire the needed penguindrum.

"Himarrrrriii? Kanbaaaaaaa? Anyone home?" He walked around the small apartment until he came across a note. Ringo looked over his shoulder, curious as to what made him stop.

_Out shopping with Kan, be back soon! There's some food in the fridge, please heat it up and eat without us! – Himari_

Sighing, he questioned why his brother would allow Himari to go along with him, fully knowing what his twin's intentions for the day were.

"Well, I guess we are eating by ourselves tonight. Kanba and Himari went shopping. Let's see what see made for us, I'm starving!"

"Hmm…I thought Himari wasn't well enough to be going around outside for too long? What if that crazy alien person comes back?" Ringo plopped down on one of the soft mats in the house, awaiting the food.

"Yeah…" Shouma called from the kitchen. "I agree but I'm sure Kanba knows what he is doing-ah! Not again!" a clash was heard and Ringo jumped up quickly to check on her love interest.

"What? What happened?" Surveying the kitchen, a grief stricken Shouma stood with an empty bowl of food. "Huh? Where's the food?"

Unbeknownst to her, #2 was happily slurping up Himari's homemade ramen.

X

Despite Shouma's belief, Kanba in fact _did not_ know what he was doing. He knew where Masako Natsume was going to be that early afternoon, and had planned to use that to his advantage to obtain the penguindrum but what he didn't know was that Himari was going to ask him questions constantly in regards to every step they took.

"Kanba? Where are we going?" "Oh! Why are we hiding?" "Do you know that girl?" "Are we spying on her?" "Ew! Kanba! Are you her stalker?" "Pervert! Pervert! Pervert!"

"Himari! Shh! I am not her stalker, I am _not_ a pervert, and I'm just… studying her. Yes! Studying! For class. It's an assignment. The thing is though, we can't let her find out or else I'll fail that assignment and flunk the class, okay?" Himari stared up at him disbelieving but nodded her head silently regardless. In the background, Himari's penguin confiscated a naughty magazine from Kanba's perverted little penguin, scolding him for looking at such obscene things in front of her. She put on a blonde wig on her pretty little blue body specifically for _him_ after all.

Kanba sighed with relief and turned back to continue observing the opportunity in front of him. Unfortunately, Natsume was now missing. Kanba started to bang his head against the wooden blockade outside the Spa Facility ("_This is for females only Kanba! Pervert!") _realizing that he had lost her and by now, was probably too far to catch up to.

"…ba…?" What was he going to do? How could he save his sister? "Kan…?" He needed that penguindrum; he needed to keep her alive at all costs! She was his sister! She was his to protect! She was-

"Do you wish I wasn't here with you?"

**She was his everything.**

He grabbed her then, held her to him tightly, never wanting to let go. She gasped out of shock but didn't pull away. She let him hold her because she could feel he needed this, she could feel the desperation, the utter gravity of the situation and a part of her knew she needed to be held by him too.

He spoke so softly at first she almost didn't hear him. He called her stupid, he told her he always wanted her around, he promised he'd never leave her_, _and he asked her to promise to never leave _him_. She brought her hand up to his hair, traced her fingers through the strands of red, the image of red strings intertwined with her vision then, and her eyes became blurry. Her arms encompassed his neck, his bent frame finding solace in the crook of hers. He sniffled because he had to be strong and instead basked in the sweet aroma that was Himari's.

They lost track of where they were, and where they had to be. They lost track of who they were, and what they shouldn't be.

X

It's been hours since he's been back and he was getting nervous. On top of worrying like the mother hen he was over Himari, and to some degree Kanba, he couldn't help but worry about the fact that he was with Ringo, _alone_, in his house. He tried to think up of pleasant conversation but couldn't wrap his brain around anything suitable. He'd glance at her out of the corner of his eye and if she caught him, would smile, gulp, and then stare back at their empty table, devoid of all food.

"Shouma…?" He perked up, ready for any opportunity to clear the tension filled air. "I'm really hungry… so I think I'm going to go home, my mom probably left something for me there."

"Oh. Yeah… okay, I'm sorry that there was nothing here to eat, this is uh… so unlike Himari." Even has he came up with that lame excuse, he glared at his penguin until #2 shrunk away to kill some bugs.

"Oh that's fine… I feel bad that you have nothing to eat, would you like to maybe…come to my place and we can make curry if anything?" Shouma thought on this for a moment, thinking about how it was Momoka's favorite food, and why Ringo had been so obsessed with making and eating it on certain days. He decided that it would be best to not fall prey to this habit and politely declined.

Ringo sat there in silence, wondering what she was doing wrong, realizing more and more each day how her heart was skipping only for him, not Tabuki-sensei, how her mind is occupied with thoughts only of them together.

He was her new target.

_She stood up. _

She was destined to be with him.

_He refused to look at her._

He was the one for her.

_She bawled her fist. _

She was his stalker.

"**You're mine!"**

X

**Phew, I wanted to write so much more, but felt that it was going to get too long winded for a first chapter. I'm really hoping to continue this, but need to first make sure that it has a good premise, is interesting enough and that at least one person wants to read more. Excuse any grammatical errors, I do not have a beta reader, and am distracted with actual office work! Thank you for reading, and please leave your thoughts! **


	2. Even If This Love Is A Sin

**Hello there! I hope that everyone instantly started singing "Dear Future" at the end of that first chapter, or else I didn't do my job correctly! I'm deciding to continue this because the show is just too awesome not to! Also, because of a big confidence boost due to _Fullmetal Angel 17__! _Thank you so much for such a lovely review and really pushing me to continue this! Also, _Choko, Ultra N00b FTW, theWorldisOurs, Jalexlover1287 (I love Jalex!), Electrozebra, and Kat-chan, _I wish you all had actual accounts so I could add you and properly reply to you, but thank you so much for reading and liking this story! **

**I just love the development with Kanba and Himari/POC… but I also want to include my own version of how things happen. I really hope Tabuki doesn't do anything to Himari and Ringo! **

**Disclaimer: I forgot to put one up in the first chapter, see how long it's been since I've written fanfiction? But I obviously do not own the characters, just the inspiration the give to me to write this fanfic! **

**-X-**

"**SEIZON SENRYAKU!"**

A mix of lights with a transportation to an otherworldly dimension and Kanba is at a lost for words as he stares at the Princess of the Crystal. _Really? Now?_ She chants her normal catch phrase, says the same things over again and Kanba can't help but wish to force her to revert back to Himari, his sister.

"Listen! Just get this over with! I know I can get the penguindrum, just-"he stops when he realizes she's standing there in front of him, indecently dressed as always but not with a scowl on her face, not ready to torture him. Her eyes are flickering in between bright pink and lazy purple. "…What's wrong?"

She lays one delicate hand on him, drawing his face closer. She breathes softly and he reminisces that she doesn't smell the same as Himari, her scent is unfamiliar, distant… lifeless. "Do not trust him…what he is giving your precious little sister… what you are giving up is for something only temporary… you are a fool."

Kanba grips her hand roughly, pulling it away from his face to get a better look at her. She looks earnest, as though if he did not head her words here and now, all hope was lost.

"What do you mean I am a fool? Who are you talking about? Give me some straight answers!"

"Get the Penguindrum. It's the only way to save her. Not even that feminine devil of a man can help you. What you are doing to yourself…" she scoffs then draws closer. "The penguin drum is your-"

He's taken aback from the use of the word 'devil' and her unusual method but disregards this soon after, deciding instead to interrupt her lecture and defend his actions to the one possessing his sister, the one in charge of her life.

"All I'm doing is for Himari's sake! Whatever happens to me doesn't matter!"

The words are familiar, they have been said before but the meaning has not diminished since, only to have grown stronger. The scorpion's soul burns blindingly bright. What escapes her lips are a blend of laughter and pity. She takes a few steps back and watches him closely before placing her hand to his heart.

"Stupid boy. Don't you know that what happens to you… means the world to her?"

X

"What?" Shouma jumped back into his seat when Ringo made her declaration. This was the least of all things he was expecting her to do. Sure, she mentioned on a train ride quietly that she was his new stalker once before…he didn't pay it any mind, after all, this _is_ Ringo, but to go as far as to say _he_ was _hers_ was incredulous. "Ringo… maybe you really should get something to eat. I hope you're not coming down with something again." He stands up, about to fret over her but is interrupted when she throws her bag at him and runs out the door.

"Baka Shouma!" she screams out before the door slams shut and Shouma is left dumfounded as to how to respond.

"What… did I do?" He looks at #2 for guidance but isn't too surprised when he sees he has tried to eat something inedible once more and is now left sick on the floor. Sighing, Shouma figures he better run after her, and in the meanwhile, call Kanba to see where him and Himari had run off too.

X

_Himari…_

There's an everglow…and she tries to reach for it but never succeeds.

_Come back…_

She spins around at the voice but to no avail. She questions, where is she?

_You promised…_

She peers into the dark. A promise from long ago…a promise with her soul mate.

_Remember…_

She's running now. To where, she doesn't know.

_I'm here!_

The distance closes as she strains to touch the emptiness

_**Himari!**_

She remembers now.

_**Kanba!**_

Her eyes snap open and she takes in her surroundings. She feels warm and safe and tries to pinpoint the cause. When she sees Kanba, feels his arms surrounding her, she smiles softly and nestles into him. Two equally sleepy creatures are off to the corner, one who is trying hard to stay awake as the other sleeps softly. Penguin #1 is guarding Penguin #3. He could have sworn he saw an octopus slithering around and was ready for the challenge. Tightening his white hachimaki to ensure his strength, he then ran over the bandage on his face with his flipper and a sparkle in his eye. Penguin #1 knew he was invincible!

It must have been another dream, she believes and tries not to lament about the fear that penetrated her heart at the thought of losing him. Penguin #3 wakes up slightly and tugs on penguin #1's flipper, pulling the confused blue bird down so he too could get some rest.

Where were they? She questions idly. Too lazy and comfortable to open her eyes and move from her position, she settles for staying still and enjoying the moment. The last thing she can remember is Kanba holding her tightly, whispering the most heartbreaking words she's ever heard from him. Mirroring her own feelings and fears. She calls out his name softly, and is greeted by a husky voice, as if he too had fallen into a dream like world. Hearing him call out her name in reply allows her to continue.

"Where are we?" The question is laced with her small, soft voice and he groggily maneuvers so he can sit up and properly respond to her. His grip on her doesn't loosen.

"You fainted Himari… and I wanted to get you to some place warm and with a bed as quick as possible but didn't think you needed the hospital. It's probably because you haven't been out for long periods of time in awhile… it's my fault! I shouldn't have dragged you around everywhere. I'm sor-" she places her finger on his lips to shush him and she smiles contently.

"Kanba… I'm okay, really. It was fun tailing that woman, I felt like a secret spy! I am a little tired right now…but it was worth spending the day with you… I feel like I hardly see you anymore Kan-chan." She huffs softly before turning over a little. She realizes she's on a soft white bed, in a single room. It reminds her of the hotel room she and her brothers were put in when they were little and their parents disappeared. Once she's taken in her surroundings it dawns on her that she's still in his arms. Ever so silently, she prays he doesn't let go.

When he believes that she's fallen fast asleep, he throws his head back onto the backboard of the bed. He was letting his feelings for Himari, his sin, consume him. He shouldn't have grabbed her the way he did, and if it wasn't for that alien woman, he doesn't know what he would have been capable of doing in that moment. As of right now, all he knows is that he wants to hold her and never let go. For her to look at him beyond mere sibling affection and to be able to kiss her for all eternity, society be damned.

He grips her small frame a little tighter.

She lets him.

"Don't worry. I will definitely save you, no matter what. Even if I make enemies out of everyone else in this world."

She knows it wasn't a dream.

X

"Kanba… pick up your phone! I hope you and Himari are okay!" frustrated, Shouma shuts his phone at the end of the voicemail. He's almost at Ringo's house but is hesitant to continue any further. He knows he shouldn't be associating with her, after what his parents did to her sister… he can't forgive his family for that, and can't look her in the eyes without remorse. Kanba would be yelling at him right now, he knows this for a fact. He'd say that he didn't have his priorities in check, that he should be focused on getting the penguindrum at all costs to save Himari. That Ringo, who has a direct connection to it, would prove to be a valuable asset in getting it back.

That was just it though. Shouma knows how much Ringo is worth. He knows that she is invaluable. That thought alone keeps him up all night. He hates himself for what was done to her, for everything she's gone through because of them. And now, _now_ Kanba just _expects_ that Ringo should help save _their_ sister when their family killed _hers_? How was that fair to her? How could they expect that of her?

He goes through the gate that leads up to Ringo's apartment. He knocks once, twice… and waits. When she opens, he notes she never asked who it was, as if expecting him, and her eyes are red and puffy and the _pang_ in his heart goes off again. This feeling is guilt, he deems, and Penguin #2 is choking again. They both are lacking the ability to breathe now.

"Ringo… I-" he doesn't know how to continue and instead throws his hand up against the door, pushing it open. "I'm coming in." walking briskly into her quaint apartment, he makes sure her mother isn't home between continuing. "We need that diary…" he hesitates, thinking back on how the Princess of the Crystal had a way of keeping vital information from them and insinuating the possibility that the penguindrum is in fact, _not_ the diary. "…but I can't ask for your help, Ringo. It's not fair to you, to your family. I know I don't deserve pity or an easy life, not after what my parents did, but Himari… she… she's innocent in all this! She wasn't even born… and we have to save her, Ringo …we have to!" he looks up at her, crying out the last part and she watches him, stunned.

"Shouma…" she extends her hand out to him but the blue haired boy steps back, out of reach.

He chuckles slightly, pitifully, before falling on the floor, legs stretched out, hands on his face. She inches closer to him and kneels down in front of him, grabbing his form and pulling him close. "How can you ever forgive me?"

"Because I'm yours, Shouma…it's _des-ti-ny_."

And he believes her.

X

"23 missed phone calls…Damn it. I hope he didn't do anything stupid." The sun is up and beaming through the windows. Himari is sleeping comfortably under the blankets, mumbling in her sleep about apples and scarves, as Kanba prepares to take a shower. He notices both his and Himari's penguins are snuggled together on the couch and he smiles at the thought of how he had slept with Himari in his arms throughout the entire night.

His phone buzzes again and he rushes to pick up, believing Shouma is making his 24th phone call.

"_Electrifying, isn't it?_" Kanba freezes at the voice, this man had impeccable timing. "_Spending the night with your little sister, having her all to yourself?" _He contemplates hanging up on him but mentally notes that the medicine he has been providing has been keeping Himari alive.

"What do you want?" He goes into the bathroom, peeks out to make sure Himari is still sleeping before closing the door gently. "I already gave you the money for the medicine; she should be fine for awhile, right?"

"_Ah, but when I allowed her to leave the hospital to go home and get rest there, I did not mean that you could take her to a hotel, naughty brother."_

"Shut up! You don't know anything. We were too far to go all the way back to the house, she needed a place to sleep quickly-" he catches himself, notices his tone rising, and tries to calm himself down. "I don't need to explain anything to you. If you have no medical business with me, I'm hanging up." He waits a second before going to press the end button.

He stares at himself in the mirror. He confirms to himself he only brought her here for her safety. He doesn't let the doctor's words bother him. He ignores the urge to wake Himari up with a kiss. He splashes cold water on his face. He _knows_ he can fight this.

A second passes and he throws his phone roughly against the bathroom mirror.

X

Himari awakens to the sound of the clash and the penguins jump up from the couch startled, jumping back from one another when realizing the position they were in. She calls out Kanba's name and when she receives no response, yawns, stretches and gets out of bed to check what all the commotion was about.

She hears the sink running and tries to call out his name again but when that still does not elicit a response she starts to panic. She pushes the door open quickly, running inside only to smash straight into Kanba who was currently naked.

"Hi-Hi-Himari! What are you doing?" red faced and deeply embarrassed, Kanba scrambled to get up as Himari screamed out and covered her eyes. "I was about to take a shower! Don't you knock?"

"Ah! Kanba! I called out your name, I thought-ah! Are you dressed yet?"

"I put a bath towel on, it's…safe now." He coughed up that last part, his voice strained from the awkward situation. Peeking to confirm he was telling the truth, she sighed and laughed nervously.

"I thought something bad happened! I wanted to make sure you were okay! Geez Kanba! Lock the door if you're going to get undressed…I heard a loud crash and…" spotting the broken glass in the sink, she pointed and screeched out "What happened? Did you cut yourself Kan-chan?"

"What? Oh. No, I accidently threw my phone…" he was looking down at the glass before meeting her eyes, the bathroom was getting foggy due to the hot water, and he couldn't see Himari as clearly. "It's fine. I'm fine. Why are you still in here?"

A squeal escaped from her and he chuckled in response. "I-just wanted to make sure you're okay…" He smirked and leaned against the bathroom wall closest to him.

"You said that already Himari…" She flushed with humiliation and he scolded himself for teasing her in such a way he normally did with random girls he played with to distract himself from his true feelings.

"You…! Forget it! I'm going back to bed." She huffed and slapped her hands to her cheek to regain some senses before turning around, preparing to exit the bathroom.

"Himari! It's okay… um..." he scratched his head, trying to find a way to comfort his sister. "You know, we used to take baths together when we were small…Yeah! So it's not like…there's much of a difference…" He gave up when he realized he made no sense. _Of course_ there was a difference. He just didn't want her to act so distant because of the incident. He didn't know if he could handle it.

She turned her body slightly to look at him and after a moment she smiled and then started giggling at his poor attempt to make what just happened a normal thing. The incident reminded her of the hospital, when she asked him what type of gifts would he like to receive.

#1 was patting the head of number #3 with his little penguin flipper before reaching over and putting the same blonde wig from the day before on her head. #3 sparkled and did a twirl. #1 was enchanted and clapped.

Himari went to the door, closing it halfway before looking at him directly. His body started to tense up, he thought maybe the heat from the shower was affecting him.

"Thanks Kan-_ba_." With a smack of her lips while tucking a lone strand of hair behind her ear, Himari closed the door completely with a smile so sensual unlike anything Kanba has ever seen before.

"…you're…welcome…"

When did Himari's voice get so…_womanly_?

X

**That's it for Chapter 2! I know this is going slowly, but I'm trying to build moments and give full details to what will eventually be main factors leading to a big turning point! Also, I want to stick as closely as possible to the actual show, with my little twists of course. ;)**

_**Reviews = Love**_

wHo


	3. Supernova Phenomena

**Wow! So many reviews make me feel so loved! Thank you all so much! Truly!**

**I'm a little worried though for this fanfiction to be honest. The show takes so many surprising turns I don't know if I can keep up! For now, thanks to some lovely advice by Fullmetal Angel 17 I'm going to take some time to develop the emotions and backgrounds between these couples before further connecting the actual show's story/timeline. **

**Disclaimer: once again, I do not own Mawaru Penguindrum or its characters! If I did, they would _not_ be suffering like they are now! **

**X**

The stars are blinking in and out of existence…much like us nowadays. We are a beautiful phenomena waiting to happen. Our colors changing from that innocent blue to the intemperance of red, just waiting to burst. We, as one, will become a su-per-no-_va_.

All I ever wanted was _you_.

I hope you can forgive me for what I've done to have you.

X

He knows he was merely offering prayers to father time, to that pink haired devil, to that crazy possessed hat, to anyone that would hear his pleas to extend what precious few moments he had left with Himari. When they had dressed and left the hotel, Himari had to go back to the hospital for a check-up that included getting her medicine and instead ended up staying for an unpredicted amount of time.

As she lay asleep, completely unaware, he watched over her throughout the entire night. He thought back to the first night after this fight for her life started, thought back to that kiss and how he felt the urge to once more feel her delicate lips pressed upon his own.

This was a curse that was inescapable.

Penguin #1 gently taps #3's beak, hoping she'll awaken and he'll be deemed the prince of all penguins for awaking the princess.

Her hand slides gently over his and Kanba freezes in dread, the thoughts echoing that if she's awake, she may come to hate him for what he had just done.

"Hibari…Hikari…I'm so glad…you like my scarves…"

He leans back and wipes the sweat off his forehead before smiling slightly at how cute his little sister can be even while she sleeps.

In the background, penguin #3 opens her eyes with a look of annoyance. She demands they redo the scene despite penguin #1's protest. The story of Sleeping Beauty must be done according to the magazine she read earlier, which means an actual kiss!

Kanba notices how her hand is still gently placed upon his, he kisses her fingers slowly, wishing she was his but fated to never be so.

He hates the word "fate" and with a squeeze of her hand, he vows to change theirs.

X

Shouma was at the hospital for a few hours before taking Ringo home. He entrusted Kanba to watch over their sister, despite begging beforehand that he come home with him. He hasn't seen his brother sleep in days, knowing full well that he was always up all night trying to do everything on his own. Shouma couldn't help but feel as though he was useless in the family, useless in saving and protecting Himari or even Ringo.

His only companion at the time was his penguin counterpart. He wondered when his house had become so empty. Leaning up against the fragile wall, he gingerly raised his left hand…five fingers, the perfect amount.

Slowly he counted down… two fingers are lowered at the same time, the middle and the ring fingers, the foundation of all fingers, the parents of the hand.

Then he lowered the pinkie finger… the baby of the hand. With that instantly came the pointer finger…he chuckled at this, at the thought of the "point man", the finger that takes charge.

And that left him with the thumb.

"If I lower this thumb, my hand will become a fist."

Penguin #2 looks up from his position before waddling over and closing his hand for him. Shouma is about to question why but somehow, staring at his penguin, he knows the answer before it's even been asked.

A fist symbolizes unity or solidarity, and as a fist, they are a family again.

Shouma knows what he must do.

X

"Why hello there older brother. Checking on the sleeping beauty?" His pink hair is the most visible aspect of him in the darkness of the night, and Kanba wishes he would just go away.

"What do you want now?"

"I was just checking on our princess-" Kanba visibly twitches and the doctor chuckles. "Or should I say, _your_ princess?" When this elicits no response, he throws his hands in the air before having them find comfort in his pockets, as per usual. "It seems she is sleeping soundly...I wonder what the two of you could have possibly done yesterday that would drain her so?"

"Get those thoughts out of your head. I don't know how many times I have to discuss this with you, but if you're not here to speak with me about Himari's condition, or the medicine, then I rather not talk to you."

Feigning hurt, Sanetoshi places a hand upon his chest and raises his voice a pitch. "Now, now, I thought we could chat friendly and not discuss such depressing things every once in awhile… after all they say the key to a long and happy life is laughter, right?"

Penguin #1 is using his katana sword and taking short swipes in the general direction of the doctor. #3 is pressing her little body against him, trying to hold him back from getting any closer to the seemingly innocent man.

Kanba starts to ignore him, instead choosing to stand up and go look for some refreshments. As he passes Sanetoshi, the pink haired man's voice grows serious.

"You were lucky she had taken her medicine for the day already before leaving with you… next time, she might not be so lucky." He pats Kanba's shoulder. "Just take care of her, dear brother, wouldn't want her to miss out on that daily dose that keeps her alive, now would we?"

As he takes his leave, Kanba stares at the floor. He was an idiot for taking her with him and not even thinking about the medicine she took daily. What if something happened to her and they couldn't get to this hospital in time for the shot? He couldn't help but berate himself, he had been caught up in just having her to himself he almost put her life in jeopardy.

Looking back at her, he decides that maybe it's best that she stays in the hospital a little while longer. At least with her here, he knows she's safe and that he can do what he needs to in order to secure her future without her ever finding out how.

The want of something to drink has evaporated once the annoying doctor had taken his leave so he settled for sitting beside Himari's sleeping body once more, resting his eyes as it was past midnight and he wanted to be ready for tomorrow's mission. No more than a few minutes have passed by and he could have sworn he heard a whisper.

"Kanba...?" snapping his eyes wide open, he leans over to see if she is merely talking in her sleep or actually awake. When her eyes connect with his, he vaguely wonders how long she was awake for.

"Himari… go back to sleep, you must be tired." She sits up slowly, never breaking their eye contact.

"I'd like to see the stars tonight. I remember overhearing on the train ride back that apparently the sky will be so clear tonight we can really see a lot of stars. Since this building is usually so dark at night and away from a lot of other buildings, we are bound to see a million stars!" She bawls her hands and punches upwards, ready to get out of bed.

He laughs at her enthusiasm and relents, moving so she can climb out of bed on the side he was on. He goes to fetch her jacket, as the night breeze might give her a cold. When he turns around, she's struggling to put on her boots, the room is devoid of any light except for the moonlight steaming in through the windows and in her excitement she forgot to even mention to turn it on.

He walks to her, lays her jacket on his chair, and sits her down on the bed before kneeling on the floor before her. She whines that she can do it herself and that they are taking too much time and he simply let's her rant, knowing this was one of the many traits that he loves most about her. Her ability to love and be excited over the simplest of things, to enjoy the ordinary events in life as though it were great fortune.

When they are done, they stand up simultaneously and he half turns to reach for her coat, motioning for her to turn around so he can help her put it on. One arm slips through, and then the other. He steps closer so he can pull the jacket snug around her body, and starts to button it for her from behind. She can feel his breath on the nape of her neck and shudders slightly from the sensation.

"Are you already cold? We haven't even gone outside yet." His voice is low as he finishes the last button on her jacket and given the opportunity she jumps away from, face flushed, before exclaiming she's fine and just wants to see the stars already. "If you say so, let me just put on my jacket and we'll head up."

She starts walking briskly towards the door with her penguin right on her heels, Kanba's penguin looks at him and just shakes his head before marching in their direction as well.

"Hey! Wait up for me! Geez, it's just a bunch of stars…"

X

Shouma can't sleep and it's because he's trying to think up of inconceivable plans on how to find their parents and reunite everyone. He idly wonders why Kanba hasn't come yet before dismissing the thought and believing his brother passed out on the chair next to Himari's bed. #2 is checking every corner for any type of bug, octopus or evil penguin as he barely remembers that dark colored female penguin that drugged and tortured him and his human equivalent. He opens a closet door and trips backwards when a bunch of boxes fall from their storage place, smothering him into submission.

Shouma perks his head up towards the rumbling sound and goes to check on what happened. Surveying the mess of boxes and his submerged penguin, he spots a ribbon… the same one their mother had bought Himari before the accident sent her to the hospital some time ago.

He sits on the floor Indian style and takes the ribbon in hand… there were still so many questions that hung in the air, their answers locked away by some unknown force toying with their lives. This cruel fate connects them to one another but with no clear direction of where they are heading.

The sins of their parents and the memories that bind them to one another, he wonders how they will survive this.

He grips the ribbon tighter remembering what it was like to have their parents protect them from anything.

He cries upon the realization that they are never coming back.

He feels as though the world is caving in on him now.

X

"Have you ever seen a shooting star?" She tilts her head at his question before shaking in the negative. "Me neither, I always wanted to but I don't have the time to just sit around and wait for it to pass by, you know?" She stays silent, willing him to continue his train of thought. "I always figured if you wanted to make a wish come true, you had to go out there and _make_ it come true…or at least, try to." He shuffles his feet and places his hands in his jacket pockets. "I guess that's why I never noticed how nice it must be to just watch the stars for what they were."

She doesn't say a word but instead inches close to him before resting her head on his shoulder and looping her left arm through his right one.

Their penguins are off to a corner with #3 wearing a beautiful yukata fit for a princess, as #1 was dressed as a cow herder. The beautiful penguin wove gorgeous garments as the poor penguin watched on in fascination. When #3 extended her flipper for #1 to take, in his haste to oblige he knocks over a bucket of water that streams between the two of them.

After their moments of silence, Himari tugs on Kanba's jacket before pointing at a group of stars. Kanba notes that this must be a constellation from what he remembers in class though he's not sure which one, and Himari watches him before speaking softly.

"Those stars grouped together are known as Andromeda." She closes her eyes before continuing. "She's also known as the "Chained Lady"…isn't she beautiful?" He whispers 'yes' as he watches her solely and Himari let's a tear fall slowly down her cheek.

"Sometimes…just on days like this, when I'm stuck in a hospital bed…I feel just like her." She attempts to pull away from him then but Kanba is quicker and instead brings her frail body into his arms, his chin resting on the top of her head gently.

"Himari…I promise you won't feel that way much longer, I promise…I just need some time, so please don't think that way ever again!" She nods softly to satisfy him but she knows her feelings will not sway.

#1 at first thrown off by the obstacle that was before him, with determination, leapt across the puddle to reach number #3 before taking her flipper in his.

She knows these chains are a life sentence but in this moment alone she does not fight the entanglement of their bodies, hearts, and souls.

X

**I know this was my longest chapter yet and that there was no ShoumaxRingo, but please don't kill me! I wanted to give 'use' to Shouma in this chapter as a single body and not just as Ringo's possible future boyfriend, have him kind of do something…since I know a lot of people have been mad at his lack of helpfulness in the past episodes of the actual show. Don't worry, next chapter I'll put plenty of SxR! **

**Also, I wanted more moments with KanbaxHimari =3**

**And as a little _bonus treat_! Whoever is first to guess/mention the legend foreshadowed in this chapter within their review gets their suggestion/snippet of what should happen in the next chapter written into the fic! Be sure to write your idea along with your guess since most of you don't have actual accounts I can PM. **

**Good luck! **


	4. The Bride of Destiny

**Kanba not being Himari's fated one has really thrown me for a loop, alas, I am not going to strictly write alongside the anime from here on out, though there will be mentions and hints. Inevitably though, this is my own timeline. **

…**Man, did we get trolled hard or what?**

**Also, the foreshadow legend was "Tanabata" The story of Altair and Vega, Orihime and Hikoboshi respectively, kudos to MawaruWarfare for guessing it right! Good try on all who guessed about Andromeda, but I had placed that legend out in the open to directly connect Himari to it alone, with the story of the separated star-crossed lovers, reenacted by Himari and Kanba's penguins for the background play at the would be couple. **

**As per my promise, I will include a scene stemmed from the idea of the winner's review! **

**Disclaimer: Do not own! If I did, KanbaxHimari would be each other's destiny!**

* * *

><p>"Kan-chan, Sho-chan, thank you for the food! It's delicious!" the hospital ridden girl swallowed her meal before humming to herself softly; showing how delighted she was over the meal her brother slaved to make for them.<p>

"Himariiii! You are so cute! No need to thank your brothers, of course we'd bring you food!" Despite the declaration and emotional downfall of the previous week, Shouma still found the strength to put on a brave act in front of his sister. Kanba can see right through him but makes no comment, opting to shove his mouth with a second round of food before Shouma can even get his first pickings. In the corner of the small room, #1 and #2 are fighting each other with chopsticks over the lone piece of beef left, #3 looks on with interest before waddling over and snatching the food out of their flippers and splitting it in half so that both penguins can have a piece. "Kanba! Stop hogging up all the food! Let me try some before you eat everything!"

"Ahhhh? I thought you had your share already! Don't blame me for eating more! I'm a growing man, I need the nutrients!"

"We are _twins!_ That means I need as much as you do!" Frantic, Shouma turns to Himari to plea his case. "Do you see what I have to deal with without you around? This guy is an animal!" Turning back to the culprit with a pointed finger and his voice an octave higher, he continues his rant. "It's bad enough that you're never home, probably making all those girls you date feed you but when you _are_ home you just take all the food then leave!"

Himari is laughing and Kanba is picking at his ear, pretending to have missed everything his brother had just yelled out. Shouma sighs before smiling slightly. He misses this; he misses the feel of family.

"You two need to stop fighting! How about you two go out together!" At the skeptical looks from her brothers Himari pulls up her hands and waves them off. "Really! Go! When was the last time you two went to the arcade? Or shopped for food together? Or picked out gifts? I know Ringo-chan would love a gift from you Sho…" the blue-haired boy flushed red with embarrassment at the mention "and I'm sure your girlfriends would like a little something from you too…playboy Kan-chan."

She smiles softly at the last part of her declaration but Kanba can feel the underlining strain in the air. He takes a step forward in her direction before Shouma speaks up, causing him to fall back. "I wouldn't know what to get her! I mean…what would someone like me get for someone like her? We're not dating Himari! I-uh…What would you like to get if you were to get a gift from a guy?"

Not expecting the question, Himari took some time in answering. "I think…if I were to ask for something from the guy I liked, it would be a hand-knitted scarf."

"Eh? Himari… isn't that a little too…_girly_ for a guy to give a girl?" Shouma leaned back in the chair he was sitting on and placed his arms behind his head. Kanba watched closely as she delicately brought her right hand softly to her collarbone and traced the outline of neck.

"Ha-ha, yea…I guess…that would be kind of weird to ask for huh?"

"No, it wouldn't be. I'd make a scarf for you Himari, if you asked me to." When all four eyes were staring at him, Kanba coughed and turned his head to the window nearby. "I mean, I don't know how to knit but…I'd try because _you_ asked me to and it would… you know, keep you warm and…" He stood up then and went to the door. "Come on Shouma, let Himari rest, she's right, let's go out." as he briskly walked out the room leaving Shouma scampering after him after a quick goodbye to Himari, the girl left in the bed smiled gently at the thought of her brother one day making a scarf for her.

X

"Kanba! Wait up! Why are you walking so fast?" Struggling to catch up, Shouma finally reached his older twin brother and stopped him with a firm grip on his shoulder. "What's gotten into you huh? Where are you headed?"

"Shouma. I lied. I won't be able to do anything with you today, but you should take Himari's advice, get something nice for Ringo and follow up on any leads for the penguindrum. I have some… other business to take care for now. I'll call you later." With that, Kanba turned and took off down an adjacent street with Shouma calling out only once to him before giving up.

"Geez. What could he be doing all this time?" Shuffling his feet, Shouma then turned in the direction he had now, by memory, known to be Ringo's apartment. He thought of what Himari said about getting Ringo a gift and proceeded to window shop the stores he passed by. What could he get for Ringo that would be appropriate? Their last meeting was high on emotion, and although they were progressing, slowly but surely, they were still shaky in where they stood and what was to come.

His musings came to an abrupt halt when a store item's display caught his eye. There was a penguin plush that looked exactly like Ringo's phone strap as the main attraction for the small store. Thinking about all the connections he and his family have had with penguins recently made him instantly shake his head at the idea of getting the stuffed toy, despite how cute it was. #2 pressed his face flat against the window pane, trying to get closer to the stuffed penguin toy. He thought it was cute and wanted to make friends, or try to eat it anyway.

"Maybe the store will sell something equally as cute…" Entering the store that had a small bell on top of the door, he browsed around at the numerous plush toys on the shelves. The shopkeeper greeted him and bid he take his time in looking around. Shouma was about to leave the store when there wasn't much of a selection worth looking twice at but stopped when he found the cashier counter was also posing double as a jewelry stand.

#2 was trying to get the attention from the stuffed penguin that was on display and was striking out hard. Eventually he moved to push his body up against the seemingly beautiful creature and instead ended up falling over with the toy and knocking down an assortment of other items.

"Ah…buying something for a pretty girl I take it? Too old for teddy bears so going for the jewelry? Good man! How about a simple necklace with a heart? I can engrave her name on it! Or a ring-" at that Shouma stepped back with his hands in the air about to exclaim it wasn't that type of relationship but the shop owner laughed before he could get a word in. "No, no boy, I know you're much too young for that kind of ring! I meant one of these cute circle rings that all the girls are wearing nowadays. It responds to the female's mood too! What do they call it… mood rings! Only cuter!" He winked at Shouma and now that he was relaxed, the blue haired boy took a closer look at the ring.

The ring was small, and the owner assured him it was a general size that most girls fit, which was good since Shouma had no clue what size Ringo's fingers were, and the style was cute, something he thought fit Ringo perfectly.

"It's nice…but how much is it?" The man eyeballed Shouma and smirked. Taking the ring out of its case and walking around the counter, he slapped Shouma's back in a friendly gesture and handed the ring to him.

"You know, normally I'd ask for 2,000 yen for this ring, it's fresh off the market and a hot seller, but you seem like a really good kid going through a tough time, so for you, I'll only charge 770 yen, how does that sound?" Shouma lightened up and shook the man's hand for a deal was made. Pleased with the transaction, Shouma was about to head towards the exit of the shop but suddenly thought of Himari.

"Actually, can I buy another one?" The shop keeper smiled at him and went to the jewelry case to take out another one.

"Thank you so much!"

"Come again!"

Taking his leave, Shouma rushed to Oginome's house, excited to present the gift.

X

"You know Kanba, if you wanted a date, you could have just asked." The red haired woman crossed her legs slowly, buying time as Esmeralda, her penguin cuddled up to the bandage wearing blue bird in front of her.

"Stop messing around. I know you're getting your information about the diary from someone in the shadows, tell me what you know about the diary, tell me why everyone seems to want it so much." He was standing in her courtyard, it was a bright and blazing hot day but he refused to take solace under the umbrella she had set up in the shade. He wanted to be as far from her possible but needed to get some answers.

"I have no idea what you're talking about… and even if I did, you know my situation, and you know we are on the same path, Kanba. Only I refuse to get on the train of fate, and you have already fallen prey to its darkness. Don't worry though, I will save you too after I lift this curse off of Mario. I won't let you succumb to-" Forcibly silenced by Kanba's rough gesture of throwing his hands on the table that held up the umbrella over her, his face looming dangerously close to hers in utter rage, she knew he at his breaking point. Only when the initial shock wore off did she chuckle lightly and dared to stare directly into his eyes. "Oh ho ho, trying to frighten me, Kanba?"

"Shut up! Stop messing around!" A hard swipe to his left caused the umbrella to be knocked down while his penguin pushed past Esmeralda and ran around towards the recently fallen item, turning the lopsided umbrella into a barrier between him and his predator. "Tell me what I want to know. Is there a way it can be used to our benefit without any of these psychotic aliens being involved?"

Natsume looked up at him, pain in her eyes. Kanba pulled back and watched her slow response.

"I wish I knew. If I did, do you really think we'd be here like this right now?"

X

This was not what he had planned for the day. Looking at Himari with a side smile and then at Ringo with a frown, he had hoped giving a girl a gift would be easier than this.

On his way to Ringo's apartment he had actually bumped into the girl who was currently on her way to visit Himari. "What a coincidence! How about you join me?" Flabbergasted, Shouma merely nodded and didn't have the courage to tell her that he had just come from visiting his little sister and instead, wanted to take Ringo out.

When arriving at the hospital, Himari's face lit up upon seeing her friend but slowly faded into confusion when seeing her brother for the second time that day. "What a surprise Ringo! I had no idea you were going to visit me today!"

"I thought maybe I should stop by seeing as I haven't seen you in awhile. How have you been Himari, did you get around to finishing those… gifts?" With a wink from Ringo and a 'shh' from Himari, Shouma was at a loss but passed it off as normal girl stuff that he would never be able to comprehend.

"Oh! Speaking of gifts! Himari…I got something for you! Here, hold out your hand." Smiling hesitantly while looking from Ringo to Shouma, Himari did as she was told and was shocked when Shouma put on the ring for her.

"Shouma! What's this?" Extending her fingers apart to eye the ring solely on her index finger, she marveled at the change of color.

"It's a mood ring! I got it at this shop down a couple of streets and I thought it would be really cool for you to have… the guy gave me this piece of paper that was supposed to tell you what color represents what mood or feeling but I can't find it right now… ah, hold on, let me look through my pockets once more…"

Laughing, Himari got out of bed and sprang to hug Shouma. "It's okay Sho-chan! I don't need directions to know what color the ring represents right now because I know I'm really happy right now! Thank you so much!" Shouma blushed at the hug from his sister but returned the gesture nonetheless.

Ringo in the background stood off awkwardly, feeling as though she didn't belong in this intimate family moment. Hating herself for getting depressed, and dare she believe it, _jealous_ over the sibling's actions, she coughed and softly tried to excuse herself from the room.

"Ah! Wait! Ringo-chan! I got the same for you too! See?" Ringo stared at Shouma as he fumbled around in his pocket for the gift and when finally producing the promised item she smiled sadly. Some part of her had hoped that he would, eventually when they were closer of course, get her a gift that was meant only for her, because he _only_ thought of _her._ Not something that was a second thought or a buy one get one free type of gift.

She tried to champ up, lift her head up and beam her smile brightly. She thought to herself, if Shouma places the ring on her ring finger, then it's a sign of their future marriage! She grew giddy at the thought and then tried to calm herself down. She vowed to herself earlier that week that she would take things slow with Shouma, unlike with Tabuki, as their budding relationship was still unsteady and needed time.

Shouma frowned at how Ringo at first seemed turned off to the idea of getting a gift from him, and then now seemed excited. He wondered what could have caused the sudden change of emotions. He stared down at her left hand perplexed. It seemed she was waiting for him to do something but he couldn't figure out what that something was.

"Uh…here you go. I hope you like it." With a slow motion, he took Ringo's hand and turned it upside down, palm facing the ceiling. He smiled shakily as he placed the ring in the center of her palm and then pulled his hand back. Himari looked on pitifully at Shouma, wanting to scold him for being so unromantic but opting to not intervene.

Ringo stared and stared, tears welling up in her eyes. Shouma noticing this stepped closer while calling out what was wrong but she couldn't make out anything else around her, her vision blurring and her chest feeling tight.

"Why did you put the ring on for Himari and not for me?"

"What?" He was starting to really resent this feeling, this constant sense of loss and confusion.

"She's your sister, Shouma! Your _sister!_ Why would you place the ring on _her_ finger and not on _me_ when I'm your girl-" she stopped herself. What was she about to say? That she was Shouma's 'Girlfriend'? That wasn't true no matter how much she wished to be. She faltered and started walking backwards, away from Shouma, away from her embarrassment. She gripped the ring tightly in her hand, her first instincts to throw it at him in refusal of his half-hearted gift but couldn't bear letting it go.

"Ringo-chan…" Himari called to her friend, standing up and attempting to get near her. When Ringo shook her head as a sign to stay back, Himari complied and instead pushed Shouma towards the upset female. "Sho-chan! Tell her the truth! Make her understand!" Huffing, Himari picked up her penguin, which curiously was in the middle of slapping Shouma's penguin back and forth for eating her blonde wig, and left the room for the two to be alone.

"Ah…Himari wait!" as she rounded the corner, her hair flowing behind her, he stopped when he realized he had to walk past Ringo to catch her. "Oh I knew this would be more complicated than she made it sound!" Turning around to look at Ringo, who was now red-eyed from wiping at tears that had threatened to fall, he sighed and took hold of her shoulders to ensure she didn't run out on him again.

"Ringo-chan…I bought the mood ring for you _first. _I wanted to get you a gift but I couldn't help but think of Himari and how lately I couldn't tell how she really felt so I thought to buy her a ring too. I know I probably should have gotten something better, but I'm not use to this kind of stuff, you know? Giving a girl I like a gift… and-" He scratched at his cheek with his index finger in a shy manner. "I did want to put the ring on your finger but didn't know how you'll react so I got scared and sort of did it backwards with Himari instead because when I'm nervous I just mix things up like that! I'm sorry!"

Bowing in apology, he gripped his hands into fists and hoped Ringo would forgive him. He knew he royally screwed this up but he didn't regret getting Ringo the ring, it was the first gift he had ever given to a female outside his family and he wanted her to know how big of a gesture that was for him.

"Shouma… I…thank you, you big dummy." She smiled softly and placed her hands on his shoulder in a soft pat to signal him to stand up straight. He perked up and smiled when he heard her forgiveness and gratitude. "Um…the ring is really very pretty, and I'm glad I didn't put it on while I was acting like that…but I'd like to see what color it would be now if I wear it on my ring finger…"

"Oh! Um…sure! Let me… ah, can I get the ring back for a moment?" Ringo complied and almost could not contain the budding joy forming inside her. She placed her hand out and Shouma slipped the ring onto her finger. When the ring got stuck at the knuckles, Ringo's hair stood on end, sparks flying from the static tension as her face fell into determined rage while Shouma looked worried. "I think… it's stuck…"

"There's no way! I won't let it be! Try harder! Here! Let me hold your body so you can put all your strength into! Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho!" Shouma being dragged into her madness by default could do nothing but follow suit and try to get the ring over the knuckle. "Come on Shouma! Show your true strength as a man!"

"I'm trying!" he whined and with a final push slid the ring over the knuckle roughly so that it tightly rested on Ringo's ring finger. "Got it! Ah, but Ringo, it looks like that hurts…are you sure you're alright with it being there?"

Breathing hard from the mix of her yelling and trying to hold Shouma's body still, Ringo took some time to gasp for air before replying. "It's…perfect!" The color of the mood ring changed from black to purple, although neither paid any attention to colors as they smiled at the insanity of what they had just gone through to get the ring on her.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought of how she would have preferred for Shouma to have been on his knees when putting the ring on her finger, but she let the thought drift off into the recesses of her mind, believing that fate will bring that day to her in the future.

In that moment, Ringo was passionate about the boy in front of her, and very happy for the gift he gave to her, which was, unbeknownst to them, the meaning behind the mood ring's purple color.

X

Himari had walked down corridor after corridor, knowing that each one lead back to her room like a maze with only one destination. She wondered if she should eventually make her way back to the clueless lovebirds but decided that leaving them alone and getting fresh air would be the wiser option.

As she set foot out onto the park behind the hospital, she sat alongside her penguin and enjoyed the breeze and the early afternoon sky. It wasn't long before a certain pink haired doctor came to sit beside her with a smile and a beckoning gaze.

"Feeling well enough to get out of bed, I see?" She nodded. "Didn't your brothers come to visit you not too long ago?" She nodded once more, wriggling her hands in her lap. "Why are you not with them then, Himari-_chan_?" she looked at him and smiled softly.

"They are busy with their own lives, I don't want to feel as though they need to be stuck watching over me in a stuffy hospital room. It's okay… really, I'm happy they have school and girls to make their lives fun again." The color of her ring changed to an ominous red, an unsettled emotion overcoming her form.

"Ah…Do you miss your brother Himari-chan?" she took note of his lack of 's' at the end of the mention of her siblings but nodded in the affirmative regardless. "Do you wish you could be with him always?"

With a low voice, she whispered _ye_s. She didn't feel like playing his game right now, she knew he had already won before she could even try. She wanted to be by Kanba's side always, and he knew that her desire to do so went beyond mere sibling attachment.

"Do you feel lonely, Himari-chan?" when she refused to answer he knew he had hit the nail on the head. He smiled and placed his arm over her causing her to tense up in surprise. "Now, now! You always have me Princess! No need to feel lonely, right?" his pink eyes shined bewitchingly bright, somewhat igniting the color within her own irises to match. As his face came closer to hers with a small smirk playing on his lips. His whisper of 'Destiny's Bride' didn't make much sense to her but felt as though her mind was trying to recall something that was blocked.

"Hey!" snapped out of Sanetoshi's allure by a familiar voice, Himari pushed back from him and looked around to where the voice had originated from. Not soon after did she see Kanba running towards them. Standing to greet him, Kanba looked furiously between the two. "What in the hell were you trying to do to my sister?"

"Kanba!" Placing her hands on his chest to hold him back from doing anything rash, Himari chided him softly, urging him to stop. "Kanba, please, let's just go." Looking at his sister, he instantly calmed down.

"Fine, but why do I keep finding you with that nutcase out here?" Turning with her, instinctively tugging at her hand to pull her long, he walked down the path that lead back to her room, ignoring the grinning man behind them.

#1 was pulling #3 along with him, her ball of red yarn trailing behind them as the string was stuck on the bench from which the doctor sat.

She gripped his hand tighter and sighed. "Shouma and Ringo are in my room and I wanted some fresh air, he was just trying to keep me company…sheesh Kanba, you're acting like a jealous boyfriend!" When Kanba's back straightened she giggled sweetly, poking him in the side playfully to follow up.

"Himari…you know I…" when she looked up at him with such innocent yet anxious eyes he retreated in his almost confession. "…I just don't trust that guy very much… he's too familiar with you for being just a doctor. There's something more to him that I just don't know about yet, and until I do, I want you to stay away from him okay?" She laughed at his over protectiveness but agreed to his demands when he tugged on her hand once more for a response. "Good. Now what's going on with Ringo and Shouma?"

"Oh nothing… just a lover's spat, much like _this_ one you know?"

"Ehhh? A lover's spat? Where do you come up with these things and hey! Where did you get this ring? Did that pink haired cross-dressing-" Placing her finger upon his lips, she smiled before interlocking her hand with his.

"It's a mood ring that Shouma got for me, Kan-chan. Don't worry, no one outside of family is giving your precious sister a ring without you first approving, okay?"

Frowning, Kanba knew he would never approve of any guy stealing Himari's hand and ultimately, her heart from him.

While their hands held on to one another, the color changed to a luminous blue, the color of love.

X

**I know everyone is dying for that kiss (for both couples) but where's the fun in giving it to you so soon? I know, I'm pure evil! Haha, but please hold out just a little longer with me… it's got to get _bad_ before it gets good!**

**I hope the scenes I wrote out per your request were to your liking MawaruWarfare! This chapter was more light-hearted than the rest due to the request, which really works out since Thanksgiving is coming up and I'd hate to depress anyone lol! **

**Also Happy Birthday to ****theWorldisOurs**! **I probably won't be able to update in time next week for your actual birthday so here is a little shout-out for you before hand!**

**Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and really, thank you so much for sticking with this story so far! After the holidays should be a long, serious and really plot driving chapter, so be on the lookout! **

**Lots of love~**


	5. Love That Transcends Time

**Really guys, thanks so much for showing your support for this story and leaving such nice reviews, it really means a lot to me!**

**Notes on the background of this story: For my story, I'm going to make it so that Kanba and Himari are still related, but how this will be explained will be left for _you_ to find out while reading! I know them not being related paves the way for them to actually be together in the anime, but I am a firm believer in "love knows no bounds" and also, I'm dead tired of the "siblings but not siblings" incest tease. **

**Also, Natsume, Yuri, and Tabuki, for all intensive purposes are true background characters. They will appear ever once in awhile, but hold no evil agenda. Thus, it may be insanely OOC how they act in this chapter, so excuse me for that. **

**Disclaimer: Nope. Still do not own. **

**X**

She can be strong and vulnerable, hopeful and heartbreaking…all in the same moment. For all her complexities, simplicities, perfections and imperfections, Himari was, to him, his one and only.

She was determined to love him despite every obstacle in her way, but she was afraid to love him and never actually, _truly_, have him. She believed she could be happy as long as she was by his side, even if it meant to only be his sister, never a lover. She was a tragic contradiction for she knew she would always yearn for more.

She remembers everything and struggles with what to do with the information. She doesn't want to ruin her "family" but now awaken; her feelings only grow with each passing day. She idly wonders if Kanba remembers himself, remembers that she is his soulmate, remembers that fateful day, so long ago…

_**In another time, **_

_**In another world**_

_A small female twirls under the open sky of dimly lit stars. Her chestnut brown hair flows with her tiny body, encompassing her so she is hidden from everything around her. Dizzily, she falls upon the luscious green grass below. Chancing to take a whiff of the beautiful aroma of fresh cut grass at night, she smiles for this is place is far away, safe, and lovely, unlike her home. _

_She hears and feels the reverberations of foot steps coming towards her but she does not move. Closing her eyes she believes she's in another world where no one can find her. _

_Hands fall upon her and shake her eyes open, where purple meets green in a panic flare of alarm. _

"_Hey! Are you okay?" She's speechless as this is the first time anyone has ever shown concern for her and she can't remember the last time someone's touched her so softly. "Why are you out here all alone and so late? Where are your parents?" _

_She sits up and he falls back, she doesn't know what to say and is too scared to reply to him. She gets up and thinks about running away but he reaches out and tugs on her dress. "Are you alone? All by yourself? Did you run away from home?" she shakes her head no and he stands up to take her hands into his. "It's okay, don't be afraid, I sometimes run away from home but I'm too little to go anywhere far." _

_She watches him curiously, wondering why he is so friendly. His hair is crimson red, his eye a glorious green, he looks to be a little older than her 8 years of age, and his clothes are rumpled and a little torn. _

"_Did you…get into a fight?" she asks innocently as she pulls her hands from his grasp, opting to use them to point at his clothes. She mentally notes how warm her hands felt in his grip and misses the sensation. _

_He nods before smirking. "Yea, with my old man. I don't really listen to him much so he gets mad but that's okay…I'm almost a man now so I need to stand my ground." She nods even though she doesn't really understand what he's talking about and he smiles after she does so. "Do you live nearby?" She nods and points to a dilapidated building meshed in with an entire lot of other grey ones. "Oh…I live a little bit further from here, but if you want, I can come back here tomorrow night and play with you!" _

"_I'd like that…" she blushes softly when his lips turn into a big grin. He asks for a shake of hands as a form of binding their new friendship. _

"_We must shake to show that we are now friends and a sign of our promise to meet here tomorrow night!" Excited at the prospect of a new friend, she places her hand into his as he softly but firmly squeezes back. _

_They meet every night after their initial meeting. They play games like tag, and they watch the stars, naming which constellations they know. She doesn't learn his name till their second meeting, and only when they part ways does she call out her name, entrusting him to forever remember it. _

_When the nights start getting cold, he shares a scarf that is a blend of colors unlike she's ever known. She takes comfort in the idea that there is so much more to this world that he will show her._

_He tells her about destiny, and how he believes it brought him to her. She listens silently, hopeful that what he says is true. He talks about the fruit of fate, and the wishes of the chosen, and all she wishes for is that she can keep him forever. _

_On the night when the moon is full and he sees her from afar, he runs to her and playfully picks her up. When she screams in pain he places her down, fear consuming him. After a moment he apologies and asks what he did wrong. When she doesn't say a word, and the light of the moon illuminates the blemishes on her face and the dirt on her clothes, he promises to protect her with everything he has. _

_He is the one that recants all his past to her without reservation, knowing to give his new friend time before opening up to him. When she does so after spending a week together, he grows furious, wishing to be able to do something to help her._

"_Soon, I will become invisible. But...because of you, I now know what it's like to be seen, to be…loved. Thank you." Her body lies in the grass next to his and he watches her, his face towards her. _

_He whispers he will never let her turn invisible as he kisses her softly. _

_He extends his hand to hold her but opens his eyes to find his fingers touching air. _

_When he finds her again, it is after he's looked the world over. His feet followed his heart for miles until he came across a factory that he never knew could exist. He remembers how she mentions a place where unwanted children like her go to be forgotten, and he breaks through without another moments thought. _

_His eyes search for the ones that looked back at him every night prior, and when he finds her, his scarf wrapped around her, he breaks through the shattered glass, remnants of those that never had a chance, and never amounted to anything, to get to her. _

"_Why…why are you here?" he picks her up and hugs her to him, asking softly, almost inaudibly if she is hurt. She shakes her head no and pulls back from him. He reaches into his small pocket, and takes out an apple. Slowly, he hands it to her, a promise uttered, a fate sealed. _

"_I will never let you be alone again. Come with me. I promise we will always be together." _

_A smile, a tear, a cut into the fabric of time of what once was, now no longer._

"_Thank you…for choosing me." _

_**This was another time, another life, with different names attached to souls reborn.**_

_**The Goddess of Fate always keeps her promise, though she is cruel**_

_**The two that were bound in their previous life**_

_**Now, as promised, always together**_

**X**

She is back in the house, released from the hospital once more. Shouma is out with Ringo and Kanba left earlier, promising to be back before dinner. She noticed how he would not make eye contact with her, and when leaving as she walked him to the door to see him out, he looked as though he was about to say something but instead left without a word.

Absent-mindedly playing with her yellow hue mood ring, she thought on how fate was cruel. She got her wish, yet still she was meant to suffer. In a previous time, where she could not remember her name nor Kanba's, he had chosen her and granted her a life with him but as fate would have it, that life with him was meant to be lived as his sibling. She was born from the same womb as him, and growing up, never knowing, that the love and attachment felt for one another was that of a love stemmed from another world, another life.

And now, because of the lives they were dealt, the parents they were given, the punishment handed down to her, her illness, would take her away from Kanba once more.

**X**

While at school Ringo had shown her ring off to every friend and fellow student she could. She boasted about getting a boyfriend, despite the fact that she and Shouma were not official, and pranced around the school grounds with a smile plastered on her face.

Once school was out she rushed towards Shouma's house, hoping to catch Himari and Shouma and possibly have dinner with them. It was when she was about to cross the street on a red light that someone had stopped her and pulled her back onto the sidewalk that she realized her oblivious state needed to be snapped out of.

"Ringo! You must watch yourself! I thought your mother raised you well enough to know to look both ways before crossing and to only cross when you have the right of way!" Looking up, Tabuki, her previous obsession, was standing before her looking concerned and relieved at the same time.

"Tabuki-kun…I-oh! Thank you so much for that…I guess I got caught up in a day dream…" She bowed quickly before turning away from him. Curiously, Tabuki patted Ringo's shoulder. Silently, she wished the light would turn green. "Ah, yes?"

"Ringo, is everything alright? I haven't seen you around your apartment in awhile and you haven't come to any of the bird watching meetings either."

She laughed while waving her hand. "I've been studying! Sorry I haven't had much time…" she stopped when she saw he took interest in the dark green colored ring on her finger. Snapping her hand back and placing it behind her, she started to cross the street and walked quickly when realizing Tabuki was following close on her heels.

"Ringo? Did you elope with a boy? Does your mother know about this?" Stopping when getting to the other side, she turned to face the older male with a blush on her face.

"No! It's just a g-g-g-ift…from Shouma! You know…him and I are becoming very close lately!" When Tabuki took some time to contemplate this response and ultimately looked fine with the outcome, she followed up with a question of her own. "And how about you? Last I checked you and Ms. Yuri was getting married…how are things going between the two of you?"

"Oh just wonderful! I was just on my way to meet her and pick her up from her rehearsal." He smiled at her genuinely and Ringo thought on how strange it was for her to no longer be jealous at the mere mention of Yuri.

"That's good…I'm happy for you Tabuki."

"You know, Ringo. Your smile reminds of Momoka more and more nowadays…it sure brings back such wonderful memories." Ringo was taken aback by the comment. Something inside of her started to throb and flare up, as if she started to feel heartburn, she placed her hand on her chest and started to rub gently. Tabuki, looking down at the street, lost in his thoughts was oblivious to the situation in front of him.

"You know she saved me, so long ago…her kindness and genuine heart is so rare in this world, Ringo. There is not a day that goes by where I do not think of her with fond memories and miss her."

Images of a young Tabuki and her sister Momoka flash before her. Like a faulty camera within her mind, snapshots are taken of frowns turned into smiles, eyes once blurred by tears now clear with joy, hands where one is stained with an irreversible scar as the other is delicately bandaged, holding on to one another firmly.

She snaps out of it when Tabuki calls her name for the third time. She smiles shakily and says she has to go quickly. Turning, she waves goodbye and goes the opposite direction of him. He waves softly back at her for a brief moment before bringing his hand down to his side, reminiscing on how he missed saying goodbye to Momoka once they had to part ways after walking home together after school.

Walking briskly, she thinks back to the diary she use to own and how she lost it during those fateful days when Shouma had saved her from the truck accident, whom she had found out was actually Yuri, and how some unnamed person took the other half while Shouma was in the hospital. She refuses to believe that Tabuki would be apart of this crazy string of events, and only believes Yuri to be up to something. Back a couple of weeks prior when Shouma and her were trailing Yuri to try and find some information about the diary, she had an inkling as to where Yuri may have been keeping it and now the feeling burned inside her, almost, as if, it were calling out to her.

She thinks on how Shouma had wanted the diary from her and resolves in getting back and giving it to him at all costs.

It doesn't take her long to reach Yuri's house, and knowing it would be vacant, and having acquired a copy of the apartment keys due to her 'obsessed with Tabuki' stalker days, she easily enters the apartment. Searching the lounge area quickly, her mind quickly races with ideas of where Yuri's half of the diary could be. Once inside Yuri's bedroom, after rummaging around she comes across a safe, after a few tries with numbers and combinations she had found to be useful when collecting "Yuri-love rival data" she breaks into the safe and almost dances when seeing the torn but half intact diary.

"My, my…what do we have here?"

"Yuri-san!" The blonde haired actress was leaning against her own door frame. Seeing the diary in the younger girl's hands, she stands up straight before walking slowly towards her.

"Ringo-chan…didn't you mother ever teach to not to take what isn't yours?" Holding out her hand, palm facing the ceiling, the motion made clear to Ringo that she expected her to hand the diary back.

"Funny that you say that Yuri-san, when the diary was mine to begin with!" Gripping the diary firmly, Ringo stepped back and analyzed the room, looking for a quick exit. "I won't let you take it again! Someone important needs this and I don't really know why everyone wants it but… but you can't have it!"

Staring at the girl motionlessly, she let her hand fall to her side. "What do you plan on doing with just half a diary, Ringo-chan?"

"I…I plan on finding the other one too!"

"Oh? And then what? What will you do if you _do_ find the other half, Ringo? You said yourself that you don't know why everyone wants it…what it is capable of doing…"

"Enough! I may not have all the answers right now but something deep inside me is telling me that I must protect this diary at all costs and make sure it goes to the right people! I know this may sound crazy but my sister Momoka-" Yuri flinches but this goes unknown to Ringo during her tangent. "My sister Momoka…I can hear her voice, or more like feel it, and I just know that you having it is _not_ right!"

Breathing heavily, energy exerted from being riled up and putting all the emphasis she could muster into her words, hoping to compel the woman to let her pass with the diary, Ringo waits for Yuri to say something.

The blonde haired woman simply shakes her head, pitifully chuckling before stepping aside.

"Go."

Hesitant at first, only after a more forceful demand is yelled does the young girl take off with the diary, out the apartment before the woman could think twice.

When Tabuki arrives later, having to bring groceries up and stopping to get the mail, seeing the scene, he drops the bags and asks Yuri about what happened.

"She's looking more and more like Momoka with each day. I couldn't say no to her Tabuki…and now she has the diary…"

"How could you let her run off with it? We needed that diary to-"

Yuri places her soft hands on Tabuki's arms, holding him steady with a smile filled with hope. "Don't you see? Momoka will come back to us…Ringo is…"

X

"You're back. Have you come to beg for forgiveness and return to where you belong? By my side?"

"I said some foolish things when we were little, and you need to get over that. You and I will never-"

"Kanba…might I remind you that the woman you are in love with is entirely unobtainable? She is your _sister_. **I **am the one you should be with, not her." She places her hand on his cheek, gently caressing it. "If you stay with me, I can take care of you…look at what you are doing to yourself. You are killing yourself trying to save her…"

He slaps her hand away and walks around her, surveying her room. "Where is it? I need that diary."

"Kanba, what type of fool do you take me for? Mario needs that diary too, and as much as I love you, why would I give it to you to save the one person that stands between us."

Briskly walking up to her, he forcefully grabs her shoulders and presses her up against the wall directly behind her. "I'm walking out of here with the diary tonight, whether you hand it to me or not." She struggles for a bit before relenting slightly.

"Just try."

Rising to the challenge, Kanba, while still holding her body against the wall with one arm, bends slightly to take from his penguin rope he had brought along. After a few minutes spent on tying up Masako, with his penguin copying his actions with Esmeralda, Kanba was free to roam the room.

It took an hour for him to ransack the room, only to realize that she has kept the diary in a secure location, no where near the house. Despite her mouth being gagged, Masako's muttering was understandable to Kanba. Once he slipped his hand into the inner part of his jacket, taking out his phone to dial in his connections, he knew she was begging him to cut all contact with them.

Leaving the room, he stopped short of the door to look back at the still tied up female.

"As soon as I find a way to save Himari permanently, I promise I will use what I know to save your brother, too."

She screams through the restraints at him, screams because he is a better man than he allows himself to be.

X

Shouma had been cooking at home with Himari savoring the sweet scent of the beef stew being made. He had expected Ringo to come over but was slightly disappointed when she never stopped by. Their penguins were on the couch nearby, #2 was eating apples as a whole but when coming down to the last one, cut one in half to give to #3.

"Himari-chan, open wide!" Feeding her a taste test of the food, upon an enthusiastic nod of approval, Shouma gave a thumbs up before continuing to focus on the meal before him.

"Sho-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know where Kan-chan went?" His stirring slows down a bit. "Lately, I haven't seen much of him…I'm worried." He thinks of how he should answer, thinks of what excuse he could give her. When he is about to answer the door slides open and a voice he is more than happy to hear from calls throughout the house.

"Shouma! Himari! Are you home?" Turning the fire down low and walking briskly to the front door, Shouma greets Ringo.

"I thought you weren't going to make it! What took you so long?" Himari stays seated in her position by the table, she looks forward, blankly. #2 is sitting by himself, his half of the apple eaten; the other positioned directly beside him, #3 is nowhere to be found.

"I have great news! Look what I have!" Pulling the torn half of the diary from her bag, Shouma's eyes widen in shock. "I got it back from Yuri-san! Now all we need is the other half and then-"

"**SEIZON SENRYAKU!"**

After the explosion of lights and shock over being handcuffed once more, Ringo and Shouma look at each other, around them, and at the brightly pink eyed alien woman that took over Himari's body.

"What? What is going on! Why is this happening again!"

"You there! You whining bitch. Show me the diary you obtained!" Ringo, affronted by the name calling, grudgingly refused.

"No! Why would I now-"

"Ringooo! That's Himari life saver thing! We need to give it to her!"

"Well then _maybe_ she should ask for it a bit nicer next time! Also, how am I supposed to show it to her when my hands are tied like-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" upon almost finishing her sentence, penguin #3 pressed the button, releasing Ringo's cylinder cage, causing her to fall through the dimensional hole.

"What! Wait! Stop doing that!"

"Listen you worthless human who will never amount to anything…get the other half of that diary if you wish to save your sister. Take that whore with you, for only she knows where to find it…"

"Stop making Himari say such bad words!"

"Hmph..." Crossing her arms, the Princess of the Crystal surveyed the blue haired boy. "No." Shouma sweat-dropped at the sheer immaturity of this possessing spirit. "Get the penguindrum or you are fated to see your sister die."

"Is the penguindrum really the diary?"

Shifting her eyes, she takes a moment to respond. "…I'm not sure…" she throws her hands in the air to signal to drop the confused boy, to which penguin #2 does as she commands.

Snapping awake to a furious Ringo and a confused yet unfazed Himari, Shouma glances at Ringo to assure her what needs to be done.

"Sho-chan? I think the food is burning…"

X

Snapping the phone close after giving the orders, Kanba stares at the house in front of him, contemplating whether or not he should enter. If he does not find the diary soon, he knows he will need to come up with more money for Himari's medicine, which means proceeding even further with the organization he was working with.

He knows there is no going back now. He vowed to save her at all costs, and will keep his word.

"Kanba?" Turning, he is stunned for a moment to find his sister outside so late at night.

"Himari? What are you doing outside so late?"

"I was waiting for you…" her words are spoken so softly he could not help himself but to close the distance between the two of them and hold her to him. "Where have you been, Kanba?"

He shakes his head and mutters how he was out taking care of things. She knows not to press him for answers right now and instead pulls back from him slowly to get a better look at him. "Kanba…please don't do anything too reckless, okay?" She looks up at him with daring eyes and places a soft kiss on her nose, assuring her he won't.

He turns to head into the house, asking her to follow him, and later, as they sleep side by side in her bed, Ringo having fallen asleep in his futon alongside Shouma, they dream of a time when they wished endlessly underneath the stars.

**I've been swamped with work after the vacation, but I'm trying to catch-up, hopefully, if I get a great boost of support I can be motivated to put out two chapters this week! Thanks everyone, much love~**


	6. The Door of Fate We Choose

**I'm glad the feedback for having Kanba and Himari stay as siblings are good! For a second there, I thought you'd all hate me for pulling a stunt like that haha!**

**I want to give a special shout out to FullMetalAngel! You have been so inspiring to me throughout all of this, and I really just wanted to thank you, and the friends you referred this story to, with all my heart! **

**Onward to the Bonus Recap Chappie!**

**Disclaimer: nononononononono **

X

A mysterious man with a weird watch approaches her on the train and before she knows it she's yelling at him and protecting the one thing she truly has left in this world. Her friends, her new family, Shouma, Himari…and to some degree, extensively, Kanba.

When she goes to warn her now closest female friend who she inwardly hopes to be her sister-in-law somewhere down the road, she realizes that Himari is not as fazed by the information as she should be. They move on from the topic to some irrelevant chit-chatter and soon it feels as though they are actual normal teenage girls, where the only worry for them is whether or not the boy likes them back and if their hair looks fabulous max.

Himari becomes solemn though, towards the end and Ringo is not blind to the shift in atmosphere.

"Tell me all about it."

"Ringo-chan… what do you think about a relationship where you are torn away from that person…? Do you still hold on to that love…or do you force yourself to forget it every happened?" Himari wriggles her hands, and Ringo watches her closely, thinking on the most suitable answer to give to the out of the blue question. Though she cannot see it, a blue penguin in the background is writing a wish on a small paper, placing it on tiny bamboo tree within the house.

"I think, Himari-chan, just because a relationship didn't end in happily ever after doesn't mean that it wasn't meaningful and true." Himari scrunches her face up, breathes in deeply and nods. Ringo nudges her to continue.

Her voice is a whisper of tales that Ringo would never believe to be true if she had not in fact witnessed so much in the presence of the Takakuras. Stories of a place where children go to be forgotten, and a love that transcends time leave Ringo frightened, realizing more and more with each passing moment how clueless she had been to the world around her all this time.

The revelation of Kanba and Himari's past causes her to snap her head towards the young girl incredulously but the tears sliding down her cheek do not lie, and her murmurs of tattered hope ignites something within her. She places a comforting hand on Himari's shoulder, and the teary eyed girl falls into her chest effortlessly. Ringo is staring past her, her eyes vacant of her surroundings, the inner workings of her mind taking over, the thought that she _will_ find the other half of the diary, that she will no longer allow everyone to suffer.

_"__They_ begin, and _they_ end, with no lasting memories made in between." The brown haired female looks down at her companion, curious as to what she was talking about. "The days. When you are an unchosen, the days have no meaning and there are no memories to be made for soon everything will be erased. Before Kanba…I…"

Her grip is firm; her love is written in stone.

**X**

As the night grows cold and the stars in her room twinkle brightly, she awakens to the sound of the door and quickly gets up. Finding Kanba's futon empty with Shouma sleeping soundly next to his penguin, she quickly dresses and runs outside to follow her fated love.

When she finds Kanba entering a run-down Ogikubo ramen shop and soon exiting with a shady looking figure, she curiously goes into the shop thinking to find clues to what Kanba has been hiding.

"Hello…?"

There are wires strung out from their mechanical boxes, dishes left to be piled up, dirt and dust accumulated to the point of insanitation. She hesitantly goes around the counter, dread already creeping within her, shouts to 'turn back' echo inside but there is no escaping this, and it's much too late now.

"Kanba…!"

X

When the reporter comes around to show Shouma of the pictures incriminating his brother, his mind immediately thinks that his parents are around, and that this is his opportunity to confront them, to try and fix everything.

They meet at the shrine and it's quite funny actually, a place of worship, of wishes, where good deeds are supposed to be repaid with favor, that this is where the family's secrets and deterioration comes about.

It's hardly blow for blow_. __"Why did you lie to us?" "What are you talking about?"_ He's on the floor, he's no match, he knows this, but he still had to try. This is his brother, his twin, and now on the verge of losing his sister, after losing his parents, he's about to lose him too.

This was the true embodiment of loneliness.

"You don't understand what it takes to save Himari…I'm tired of pretending that we are one big happy family, Shouma. We're not, not anymore." He flips his jacket over his shoulder, his body shrouded in darkness as night fell upon them. Kanba is hardly on the edge of the precipice that Masako had warned him about. Instead, he has already fallen into the water, waiting for the seals to devour him. Shouma, bleeding from his lip with his face bruised, pounds the cement below him as the street light encompasses him.

"But…We're brothers!" He's grasping for whatever bond is left between them, his twin, but he feels none as the man before him grows further away with each passing second. The pictures of them growing up fade in color, the memories once cherished, now a burden.

How could they ever hope to amount to anything?

"Now, we are strangers."

As he chases after his brother and witnesses the heinous act of emotionlessly killing the reporter from before with a simple call, the words uttered by his twin resonates within him. Brothers, now strangers, a fate meant to happen since the day they were born.

They were doomed at first breath.

X

She's familiar but she can't place where she's seen her before. As she turns away, her red curls bouncing behind her, Ringo recognizes her as the nurse that had taken Shouma at the hospital.

"She's the one… she has the other half of the diary!" Gripping the front of her shirt tightly, she moves cautiously as she trails the refined woman. Eventually, she finds herself in a parking lot and she tries to plan how she is going to find where she is keeping the diary.

Opening her phone quickly, she tries to call Shouma while keeping an eye on her prey and leaves an urgent voicemail, demanding he'd call her back as soon as she gets her message. She waited for Shouma to return home earlier after her talk with Himari, but when he never came she set out to accomplish the task herself. Something told her time was of the essence, that soon, the diary wouldn't be able to help the Takakuras anymore.

The pink was easy to spot when it emerged. The burning inside her was hard to ignore but she pushed it aside in favor of keeping an eye out for an opening to grab the diary and dash. By the looks of it, it was obvious this woman came from money, and was well guarded.

"Esmeralda." Was she talking to herself? Ringo looked around but couldn't find anyone else in the lot. "I need you to do me a favor. Take this note and give it to that pink haired man, I think he would be interested in my offer." The woman had placed the half of the diary in a suitcase and then placed it in the car trunk, after doing so, she walked towards the passenger door, took out a piece of paper from her pocket and bent down to hand it to, in Ringo's eyes, thin air.

"This woman is crazy… but maybe now's my chance!" Making a run for it as silently as she could, upon reaching the long black car, Ringo quickly opened the trunk, to which she was grateful had not been locked since the car doors were still open, and quickly grabbed the suitcase.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Jolting up and walking briskly towards Ringo, who in turn yelped and started to run, Natsume speedily went back into the car to take out her memory gun. "Stop!"

"Ah! This is mine! You can't have it you crazy woman!" Panicking behind a pillar, _oh my god she has a gun? What __**is**__ that? _Ringo weighed her options. She remembered where the exit for the staircase was, but with that weapon she was no match. Unless…

"What if I told you I had the other diary and could help you?"

Natsume lowered her weapon slightly. "Now why would I believe you? Aren't you that friend of the Takakuras. The original owner of the diary? I know some other woman has the other half, not you."

"No! Not true! She gave it back to me! I can show you if you promise to not shoot me with crazy ball thing and throw down your weapon!"

She considered the options, knowing that she could trust her penguin to help capture the girl; she felt there was no harm in pretending to give up. "Fine." The sound of the gun hitting the floor made a loud _clack_ and Ringo tentatively peeked around from the pillar she was pressed up against.

"O-Okay. So, the diary is in here and…" hastily and violently, Ringo tossed the suitcase at her opponent, hitting her square in the face before dashing off towards the exit, she started to cackle when she got to the streets, forgetting where she was, she danced a bit before running towards the subway, knowing the woman would be close behind.

"Damn it! Esmeralda! Change of plan! Come with me!" Lifting the gun off the floor, Natsume decided she had to instead pay the devil a visit herself.

Once on a train, with the woman nowhere to be found, Ringo took a deep breath and smiled at the thought that she did it. She obtained both parts of the diary and it was in her hands once again. Taking out the diary's equal halves she pressed them together and for once looked beyond the written destiny she had to follow and felt the surge of power come from within.

Once again, she questioned what it could do, and for the first time, a voice answered her.

_The power to change fate. _

**X**

He's not coming back, she knows this. Waiting around, hoping, was pointless, she knows this too. Their perfect little family is about to be broken, and this, unfortunately, is something she's always known but refused to believe.

"You should go to Uncle's. It'll be safe there." And that's all she needs to hear. Kanba has fallen too far, Shouma tried and failed to bring him back, and now there was nothing left to do but go each other's separate ways.

She had placed the white cloth infused with antibiotics on his face, fearing infection with all the dirt he had come in contact with during their fight. She had left food in the oven for him to heat up, once she was gone. She put on her soft pink coat and waited by the door, waiting to see if he'll change his mind and ask to get Kanba back together, as a family.

He never did.

"Sho-chan…" she reaches up, touches his cheek gently and smiles softly. "I know you were trying so hard all this time to smile too." He refuses to look at her. He's failed as her brother, as the older sibling that was suppose to protect his little sister. He let their family crumble and he couldn't stand the guilt that came from it. Himari knows how much this is hurting him, how cruel fate was to entangle Shouma, the innocent one, into the lives of those that were damned from the start.

"Thank you, Sho-chan. You know, ever since I laid eyes on you…All this time I've always been…" _flashes of a newborn baby reaching out with small fingers towards curious eyes of green, pulling blue stands of hair and giggling after. _"So happy to have a brother like you."

He doesn't hold back the tears, his hunch form begging for her forgiveness. "I'm so sorry…" Her penguin pecks Shouma's on the cheek, a farewell between the two as well.

As she walks down the street on the cold wintery day, Shouma collapses, his body weak and shaky, guilt engulfing him over the inevitable loss of his two siblings and the knowledge that he never had the power to stop it from happening to begin with.

When Ringo finds him sometime later, no words are said as only caresses are given. She holds him tight to her, at first confused and worried before the emptiness of the house sets in around them. She presses her lips to his head of hair, promises that they'll be able to get them back, and looks at the diary that holds all the color in the room.

"I just let them go! I couldn't do anything to save them!"

"_We_ will save them, Shouma-kun…I promise."

**X**

Her soul leads her to him and the sight before her is mystifying. Her initial reaction upon seeing him in the layers of monochrome is that this isn't _her _Kanba, this isn't _her_ soulmate.

But it is. And she smiles to throw off suspicion.

"I'm with you. Always." His eyes are slant as he smiles at her, he is blind to all around him, the damage he's done and the risks he's taken, all for her, and she swears she'll save him, even at the cost of her own life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hate rewriting scenes that have already happened in an anime, but I just wanted to place specific parts in the story from the previous episode(s), since I know things may be a bit confusing for you guys, since last chapter, with _–my own-_ plot/time-line. Especially since I've changed a lot of things around, such as Kanba being Himari's fated one and not Shouma, and everyone still being related! **

**So this chapter is sort of a filler, just to clear things up for people, but as always, I aim to please and entertain, so let me know what you think!**

**I've already started writing the next, and possibly last chapter. I'm trying to decide what to do, if I should wait till the end of MPD to finish it, or finish it in how I feel it should end. Opinions are much appreciated!**

**Much love~**


	7. I will never forget you

**I hope that everyone had a happy holiday(s)! I apologize profusely on how long it has been since I updated. I wanted to wait till the series finished before writing out my final chapter, and then the holidays hit so I just recently got back to my work desk, and the mountains of paper on top of it.**

**Also, my computer was hit with a virus which, unfortunately ate up my outline and basic draft of what I wanted to write out for the final chapter…along with my manuscript for my original story, Just Smile. Obviously, I have had little to no motivation to write after such an incident.**

**And the canon ending of MPD… Well, let's say, I was not satisfied, and still as confused as ever, since so much went unanswered.. such as how do these people (Momoka, Sanetoshi, Shouma, even Kanba) have the power to change fates? Or revive those that are dead? What happened to the Takakura Parents…why did they do what they did, and just so much more…ugh.**

**But I could not leave you wonderful readers and reviewers hanging! So, alas, here is the update, the AU finale, the last chapter to "Red Thread of Destiny"!**

**X**

Her fingers trace the outline of his coat delicately, working to find the parallels of their sister counterparts, hoping to connect and trap the boy in between. Her face brushes against his left cheek as her scent lingers in the air and he stares straight ahead denying this sweet but fleeting moment in favor of having a forever one. "I'm okay now, you can stop now. I've accepted my fate…please don't hurt anyone else..."

"Himari." #3 is flipping through naughty magazines, trying to entice #1 to give up on this endless chase. He snatches the magazines and tosses them aside as the female penguin watches in shock. "This last job will save you. All I need to do is carry out this plan…and don't you _see_?" the red haired boy spins in his chair, parting her hands and taking them into his own. "You don't have to suffer anymore. After all this, Himari, you don't ever have to suffer anymore…"

Hey eyes daze off, opting to no longer look at him. He grips her wrists tightly before tossing them gently aside as he stands up. He watches her, silently begging her to return his gaze, for her to understand, to stand by him yet when she refuses to give her consent his eyes slant in determined rage. "I will never forgive this world if it allows you to die." Briskly walking pass her, he is only halted when she throws her weight on him, stopping him in his pursuit for something unobtainable.

"Kanba, enough is enough. I can't let you do this…_plea-_" Delicately, he covers her desperately pleading hands with his own. Silently, he releases her hold on him. Her penguin waddles to try and catch up to the blue bodied male penguin that only shows his back to her but her little feet doesn't take her far. The two disappear around a corner and Himari is left with only her wishes and regrets.

She knows this world extends way beyond the little fields of dreams that both chosen and non-chosen children dance in, and with a simple prayer, a hopeless plea, she falls to the ground in a splendid sacrifice of returning that which she unintentionally stole.

He knows within seconds, the distinct throb within his heart, the unequivocal feel of losing half his soul, and the soft call of her voice speaking his name that she has left this world. The curse himself with his devilish eyes and pink hair tells him he only needs to do one last thing and he'll bring her back. She is his light, she is his everything, nothing else matters.

"Let me show you why this world needs to be extinguished."

Simple words uttered lead to an intangible world, Sanetoshi had placed before Kanba's eyes the path to destruction taken by the generation before him. He sees the many children lost and forgotten, the cruel parents that use up all their children's worth and force them to wither away. He sees his father and mother, much younger than he ever had the privilege of seeing, laughing, hugging, kissing… and then the image before him switches to pure darkness.

"What's happening…?" Kanba's voice surrounds him as he realizes his paralyzed state.

"You cannot escape your curse." A deep chuckle replies.

"I will do anything to save you…" he recognizes the voice as his father's and soon the scene of darkness transforms into a hospital waiting room and there in front of him, his mother lays asleep as his father silently begs for a cure. A shadow looms over his bent over form and a white glove matched with a white coat reaches to shake hands with the unfortunate soul.

Rapidly the scenes blend into one another, retelling the story of how his father had given up his humanity to save his beloved one. Making a deal with the devil, not unlike his own situation, to pledge his allegiance to eradicating the world of its impurities and paving the way to a better society.

He snaps back to the present day with a flash and Sanetoshi smirks at the boy.

"Time's almost up."

Shouma arrives with Ringo close behind, he knows they are here to stop him and he believes he only has one option left to save the girl he loves. The train of fate has already departed and the stage is set for the final story to be told.

"Kanba! What did you do…? Himari…" the princess of fate lies in bed to wait for her prince, and with a toss of his coat he goes to awaken his light. Kneeling, he takes her hand in his and brings his lips to hers. Shouma screeches out his name laced with shock and Ringo looks away painfully with the knowledge of an ill-fated love. Her almost lifeless purple eyes flash open, disbelief registering after a moment of confusion. Incredulously, she turns to her soulmate, hands reaching for him, begging him to stay.

"Do not give me a life where you are not in it…" her tears speak and his smile answers.

"It is enough as long as you live a happy and healthy one." His scorpion soul is transforming, and Himari knows his plan. Desperately, she throws her arms around him and presses her lips against him in a blend of panic and frantic love. _I love you, _she tells him with her lips, and he responds with a kiss equal in fervor.

Ringo steps forward with the diary, determined to change this carousel of fate. Sanetoshi, seeing this, crosses his leg and watches the girl. _She couldn't possibly know…_

"Shouma." When the blue haired boy turns to her, feeling as helpless as ever, she smiles to herself before nodding. "I told you, we'd save Himari, right?" When the boy confused agrees, she turns to face him. "Just remember, I love you."

Eye widen with a reach of a hand.

"Let's share the fruit of fate!"

Flames ignite and sets their world ablaze. Her body is burning up but she smiles nonetheless. Shouma is holding on to her, screaming her name but all she can think about is saving Himari.

Purples eyes brighten to a pink hue and Himari caresses Kanba's face before pulling away from him and standing up, moving slowly towards the burning couple. She's no longer wearing the penguin hat but instead is holding on to it tightly with her right hand.

"What is this? What's going on? Momo-" he is silenced by the piercing gaze of Himari.

"Rin-go…" she says this like she sings a lullaby, soft, whimsical, as though they were just children. "I can't allow you to do this. Your sister won't allow you to do this…" bringing her hand up slowly, Ringo painfully turns to Himari and watches as her friend presents the penguin hat.

"Hi…ma…ahhh!" The flames are increasing and Shouma cries out her name while bringing her closer to him. Kanba stands up, lost in what to do and desperate to stop all this from happening. Penguin #1 tries with #3's help to fan off the flames on their brother penguin, but to no avail.

Suddenly, the hat manifests a small pink haired girl, causing Sanetoshi to stand up in shock. "You shouldn't be here!"

Himari watches the small girl who was for some unknown reason, blessed with such power and fortunate for them, had the biggest heart of all, opting to fight for the good guys. She now knows although Momoka was the entity within the hat, she had never taken the opportunity to possess her, instead only lending Himari the power to continue living and to show her true colors, to be the strong and forceful woman Himari always wished to be.

Ringo tearfully watches her believed to be dead and gone sister stand before her. The flames have become unbearable, and she does not think she will be able to last a second longer. "Onee-chan…" Momoka smiles softly at her younger sister before turning to Sanetoshi.

"This is the last stop. Time to leave the train of fate." Sanetoshi's eyes widen as the small girl smiles softly at him. Shouma watches Ringo briefly before whispering that he loves her while placing his lips painfully upon hers.

Sanetoshi disintegrates into dust, the curse finally lifted. The penguins, hugging, say goodbye before fading away.

Amongst the chaos of a rapidly deteriorating world, Kanba walks up to Himari and holds her from behind tightly. "I'm sorry…." he chokes out and in response she lifts her head up and lets it fall back into the crevice of Kanba's neck. They watch as the world around them shifts into a soon to be forgotten reality.

"I won't ever forget you." she whispers before the world collapses upon them.

X

The reversal of fates, the changing in time, as though everything that had been done was erased, and their lives had returned to the normalcy they strived for. A bond of fate never disappears once tied and soon enough Shouma bumps into Ringo on the train ride to school.

Through a series of events and unexplainable attraction, he sheepishly asks her out on a date while complimenting her mood ring that she, baffled, could not remember how she obtained it in the first place.

When Shouma brings his date home later that night, he introduces her to two picture frames that hold smiling faces. "This is Kanba and Himari… my brother and sister." Ringo softly apologies to him for his loss but Shouma surprisingly smiles while shaking his head.

"They're not dead; at least, I don't think they are. One day, when uncle and I went out to buy groceries, they both disappeared. We sent out the police to try and find them, and did our own search…but we never found a trace of them." He watches Ringo who looks as though she's about to cry and frantically places his hands on her shoulders comfortingly.

"No, no, no, don't cry! Like I said, I still believe they are alive and well…you didn't know my brother but he sure was resourceful. To tell you the truth…" he watches her silently for a moment, debating on whether or not he should be telling a girl he just met, and on their first date nonetheless, what he was about to. When she matched his gaze with curiosity and a sense of familiarity he couldn't place, he knew there was nothing he couldn't tell this girl in front of him.

"I think they ran away together." Ringo perked her head up, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion, before taking a glance back at the pictures next to her. "Sorry, you must find all of this really weird…" Ringo shook her head softly in response and maybe it was just because of the way the frames were oddly tilted towards one another but Ringo couldn't shake the feeling that they were not smiling to pose for a picture, or at who was behind the lens, but that they were solely smiling for each other.

"No, I don't think it's weird Shouma-kun…I think…well, I think that wherever they are, they must be smiling at each other, just like in these pictures." Shouma glances at the pictures before looking back at Ringo.

"Hey. Would you like some curry?" Excitedly Ringo exclaims that curry is her favorite food before they both dash into the kitchen while laughing.

X

A girl with long chestnut brown hair entangles her hands amongst dangerous red locks. Her lips search for his and when they meet it is desperate yet kind, tempestuous yet loving. The scenery behind them moves rapidly as their bodies lean against the soft comfort of a bullet train seat.

Constantly on the move, never to be found, this is the life they choose to lead in order to live a life together.

This is their Red Thread of Destiny.

_**XFinX**_


End file.
